Associated Press/Photo by Evan VucciPresident Donald Trump hands a pen to Sen Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, after signing a proclamation to shrink the size of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase–Escalante national monuments.

Trump scales back two national monuments in Utah

Protesters greeted President Donald Trump in Utah, where he traveled Monday to reduce the size of two federal monuments: Bears Ears and Grand Staircase–Escalante. Trump signed proclamations scaling back the protected areas during a visit to Salt Lake City. While Utah’s political leaders applauded the decision, environmentalists and members of native tribes object, saying the federal protection is necessary to keep the lands from development. A crowd of about 3,000 protesters blocked several Salt Lake City streets, carrying signs that read, “Protect Utah’s wild lands” and “Lock him up.” Riot police came in to clear away the demonstrators, but the interactions remained peaceful. Trump frequently criticized the federal monuments, calling them a land grab. Freeing the areas means “public lands will once again be for public use,” Trump said as he signed the proclamations.